Wire fence



- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. T. RIGHT. WIRE FENCE.

(N 0 Model.)

No. 542,966. Patented July 16, 1895.

WITNESSES: INVENTOH $0 A TTOHNE Y3 MWW- (No Model.) -2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. T. RIGHT.

WIRE FENGE. No. 542,966. Patented July 16, 1895.

WITNESSES." Wye/W0 BY A77'0HNEYS.

- which will enable others skilled in the art to FREDERICK T. RIGHT, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHNN. NEAL, OF

COLDWATER, MICHIGAN.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,966, dated July 16, 1895.

Application filed February 21, 1895. Serial No. 539,201.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FREDERICK T. RIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort ayne, in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Fences; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specificatron.

My invention relates to improvements in wire fences and the mode of constructing the same.

The objects of my improvements are to provide a plain strong durable fence at a minimum expense which can be erected by any person of ordinary intelligence without previous experience and without expensive tools or machinery, and the wires of which can readily be replaced when necessaryand their tension increased or diminished, as may be desired, without the use of any tool other than an ordinary wrench. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tension device for stretching the Wires when erecting the fence and compensating the expansion and contraction of the wires when the fence is erected. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same device partly cut away to show the manner of connecting the ends of the meeting wires. Fig. 3 is an elevational viewof a panel of my improved fence, showing the general arrangement of the tension devices with suitable stays in position thereon. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several drawings.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 1 is a collar or flange with a tubular shaft extension 2, and 3 and 3 are brackets or lugs made integral parts of the flange l andarranged upon diametrically-opposite sides of said flange, the outer ends of which lugs have circular recesses adapted as hearings to receive the journals of thewinding-drnm 10, as hereinafter described.

The tubular shaft extension 2 at the farther end of the collar 1 is slotted longitudinally upon diametrically-opposite sides to admit the bent end 6 of the spiral spring 4, loosely I fitted upon the shaft 2, as shown in the drawend 6 moving freelyin the ings, and the bent slots 5.

7 and 7 are annular collars upon the cylindrical winding-drum 10 within and next to the lugs 3 and 3, for retaining the drum in place.

8 is a ratchet-wheel upon the extended end of the drum-shaft exterior to the lug 3, as shown, to engage with the ratchet 9, which is attached to the said lug 3. The other end of the drum-shaft is extended exterior to the corresponding lug and adapted to fitting a wrench thereon for turning the drum.

The journal-bearings in the lugs 3 and 3 are one side of the center of the tubular shaft to admit of the free passage of the meeting wires upon one side of the drum-shaft. By enlarging the diameter of the tube through the shaft 2 or by decreasing the diameter of the drum-shaft 10 in its center the free passage of the fence-Wires may be accomplished with the center of the drum-shaft axis in a 7 right line with the center of the tubular shaft.

11 is 2. lug on the drum 10 forsecuring the end 12 of the meeting fence-wire to the same, and 13 is the end of the other meeting wire bent and secured to the spiral spring 4. at the end 6.

12 and 13 are opposite ends of the fencewires 15 attached to the tension device, as shown in Fig. 3.

The numerals 14. are fence-posts in position; the numerals 16, staples by which the fencewires are secured to the posts 14.

The numerals 17 are vertical stays attached at their lower ends to the stays l8, and 19 are loops in the stays 18 by which they are secured to the wires 15.

20 is a brace for the end posts 22, and 21 is the foundation for the brace, and 23 is a rod or cable for securing the lower end of the brace 20 to the post 22. r

The method of using my invention is as follows: The posts being erected and the meeting wires being cut to the desired length, preferably, but not necessarily, all being of a uniform length, one end of each wire for a panel rco is securely attached to an end post braced as shown in Fig. 4., and the ends of a like numher of wires are attached to another post. he wires are then passed through the staples 16, which are sufficiently large to admit the wires to pass loosely through the same. The end 13 of the meeting wire is then passed through the tubular shaft 4 of the tension device and secured to the end 6 of the spiral spring 6 by bending the end and hooking it upon the same. The end 12 of the corresponding meeting wire is also passed through the tubular shaft 2 and secured to the lug 11 upon the shaft of the winding-drum 10. t

The wires can readily be secured to the tension device and yet be sufficiently taut to be stretched tightly by manipulation of the drum. When the wires are thus secured, a wrench or crank is applied to the winding-drum and the end 12 of the wire is wound about the drum until the desired tension is obtained.

The elasticity of the spiral spring 4 will admit of the turning of the ratchet-wheel upon the ratchet and yet hold the wire secured at the desired tension without danger of breaking from the great strain, and will also prevent its breaking by contraction arising from changes of temperature. By turning the drum the tension of the wires can be increased when desired.

The fence should have suitable stays, and the following method (shown in Fig. 3) is very convenient and economical. The stay 17, which is also wire, is fastened to the upper strand of the fence-wire by twisting or booking it to the wire, and the lower end is twisted or looped loosely around the stay 18 below its fastening at its upper end, and is adapted to move upon the stay 18 when the upper strand is depressed by any means, such as cattle or horses resting their heads upon the same, and when relieved of the pressure the fence-wire will resume its normal position.

' he parts of the tension device are metallic.

I am aware that some of the features of the fence as thus described have been used before; but

What- I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a wire fence a tension device for the purpose described comprising a tubular casing having at one end longitudinal and diametrical slots as shown and provided at its other end with an annular flange having opposite lateral lugs for the winding drum, a coil spring loosely mounted upon the said casing with one end bearing against the said annular flange and the other end loosely secured in the said slots as described, and a winding drum rotatably mounted in said lateral lugs having annular flanges 7 to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof provided upon 6c one end with the ratchet wheel 8 adapted to engage a holding detent 9, as shown and adapted upon its other extended end to receive a proper wrench.

2. In a wire fence a tension device for securing the proper tension of the wires and for increasing said tension at pleasure, said tension device consisting of acylindrical tubular shaft with a collar or flange at one end with lugs rigidly attached to said collar upon opposite sides with proper journaled bearings to receive thejournals of awinding drum having a ratchet wheel upon one end of the drum shaft exterior to said lugs and adapted to engage a ratchet attached to said lug, the other end of said drum extended exterior to the lug in which the journal rests adapted to receive a wrench for turning said winding drum, the said tubular shaft at the end opposite the end collar being slotted and a spiral So spring fitted loosely over said tubular shaft, one end of the spring resting against said collar and the other end bent and adapted to fit into and work freely in said slot, the end of one wire securely fastened to an end post and at the other end carried through the said tubular shaft and secured to the bent part of the spiral spring in the slotted part of said shaft, and the end of a like wire secured to another post and the other end carried through said hollow shaft and secured to said winding drum, and so arranged that when said drum is turned upon its bearings the last described wire will be wound upon the drum, and a proper tension be secured to both of said 9 5 meeting wires, substantially as described, in said specification and shown in said drawings.

Signed by me, at Fort Wayne, Allen county, Indiana, this 12th day of February, 1895.

FREDERICK T. RIGHT. Witnesses:

WALTER G. Bonus, EMMETT V. HARRIS. 

